Meghalaya Committee on Aadhaar urges LS members to support bill on privacy

Shillong, Aug 2:  The Meghalaya Peoples' Committee on Aadhaar has urged Lok Sabha members to act in a bipartisan manner and give their nod to a bill on privacy, The bill, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha earlier last month, seeks to codify and safeguard the right to privacy in the digital age and constitute a data privacy authority to protect personal data and other related matters. The bill proposed by Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda, says that no person shall collect, store, process, disclose or otherwise handle any personal data of another person, intercept any communication of another person or carry out surveillance of another person except in accordance with the provisions of this act. The Committee said the bill has been tabled as the nine-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court has been holding hearings on the question as to whether privacy is a fundamental right. The bench is likely to deliver its judgment next month. "The outcome of the Data (Privacy and Protection) Bill, 2017, and that of the Supreme Court's constitutional bench order will have much bearing on Aadhaar enrolment," it said. Meanwhile, the committee urged all Lok Sabha members to take the bill seriously and have a constructive debate on it, and in a bipartisan manner, with amendments and additional inputs, if required, pass the same so that it can become a law. "This will uphold democracy and human rights," he said. Moreover, the committee urged all concerned, particularly those holding positions of authority at various levels, including at the grassroots, not to push for Aadhaar enrolment or collect biometric data until the issue is settled both by Parliament and the judiciary. The committee has been at the forefront in raising questions about Aadhaar enrolment in Meghalaya. Aadhaar enrolment in the state is one of the lowest in the country. As of July 15, out of a targeted population of 32,30,132, around 3,15,112 have been enrolled under the scheme, which works out to 9.8 per cent. However, in recent months, the scale of enrolment has picked up, especially in the state. UNI